Kathmandu, June 29: Nearly 10 Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) soldiers were injured in a mysterious blast which occurred inside their barracks at the parliament complex (Singha Durbar) here this afternoon.

Though RNA’s public relations wing claimed that a cooking gas cylinder exploded inside the kitchen of the barracks, people living near the parliament claimed that the explosion was so powerful that it rattled the window panes in buildings nearby. They said that a thick plume of smoke was visible a kilometre away and a strong smell of explosives emanated from the site.

The parliament complex also includes the offices of the vice-chairmen, Prime Minister and ministers. The RNA barracks is located within the complex. The RNA said 10 soldiers sustained minor injuries when a cooking gas cylinder exploded at a rations store.

of the Army Valley Division. It said the explosion occurred due to an electrical short circuit, which damaged two rooms in the building. The explosion led to a minor fire which later controlled by free

fire tenders. The injured soldiers were rushed to the army hospital for treatment and the condition of two is stated to be critical.

Meanwhile RNA killed a prominent Maoist leader in South Western Nepal during a combing operation.

According to information reaching here the chief of Rupandehi district unit of the Maoists Rameshwar Yadav aka Ramesh was killed in security operation in

Siddarthnagar municipality on Wednesday afternoon. Yadav who was also the secretary of Maoists' district committee was killed in retaliatory firing when he tried to

hurl a socket bomb over patrol party of the security forces, police said.

In another incident, two police constables were injured when the rebels fired upon them indiscriminately in Ilam bazaar in Ilam district of Eastern Nepal this morning.

One of the constable sustained serious injuries in the incident.